A Flannel Memory

In my last crafy post, I shared a flannel onesie that I had made. I had to be pretty cryptic about my inspiration, because it's a surprise. Now that it is officially finished and in the mail, I can no longer keep it a secret.

My mom's dad (we call him Bobo) always wore button up shirts. Mostly the pearl-snap, flannel, or plaid variety. When he died last year, one of the things that often crossed my mind was the fact that my (future) kids and my husband would never get to meet him. It made me sad, because I knew they would have loved him and he would have loved them.

When my grandma had to move and didn't have enough room for everything in her new house, I knew that I wanted to get some of Bobo's old shirts to make into baby clothes. Even though my kids will never get to meet him here on earth, I thought it would be special for them to have something of his. 

When my nephew was born in September, I thought that he should have something of Bobo's, too. So after figuring out the logistics with the first, practice flannel onesie, I (eventually) got to work. 

I have to tell you, I had a lot of mixed emotions when I got out the shirts. I was afraid to cut them. I didn't want to ruin them. They still smell like him...these shirts that my grandpa wore every time he hugged me and kissed my cheek. I was both happy and sad as I remembered.

But, I'd like to think that my nephew, and someday my own kids will wear his old clothes, and remind us that memories can be more sweet than sad. And even though one life has ended, we all carry him with us. These new lives that are just beginning will get to wear his memory and will eventually treasure something so precious from a great grandpa they never got to meet, but will love anyway.

Update: Here is a picture of my nephew, Zayden, wearing Bobo's shirt...sitting in Bobo's chair.